Heart-wrenching Choices

Since the start of this year, during the distribution of thousands of food parcels in dozens of large and smaller cities, we have once again reminded people of the importance of getting their (Aliyah) documents in order.

This was not our idea but the idea of the Israeli consul. During a meeting, he mentioned numerous examples of families whose documents had been burnt or lost under the rubble during bombing or drone attacks. In Zaporozhya (eastern Ukraine and close to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant), we recently distributed 689 food parcels and provided people with additional information about our possibilities to help them get their documents ready. This turned out to be very timely afterwards—given the heavy fighting in the area. There is also a family leaving Krivyy Rih for Israel soon. A day before we met them, their apartment building was bombed.

“Go to Israel”

People who leave often face difficult choices, for instance, Olga from Kharkiv. At the beginning of the war, she fled to safer places in Ukraine with her 14-year- old son Hleb. Her 78-year-old mother did not want to join her and was left behind. For years, Olga worked through Hesed to provide home care for Jewish elderly and Holocaust survivors. Eventually, Hleb left for Israel with 150 Jewish youngsters from across Ukraine as part of a study programme. Olga returned to Kharkiv hoping to convince her mother to also leave and build a new life in Israel. Olga’s mother, however, stuck to her position, telling her daughter, “It’s war in Ukraine, it’s war in Israel, but your son needs you more than I do here. Go to Israel.” And so it happened.

We are grateful that we were in a position to help Olga. First, with transport to the consulate and then with transport to Kishenov in Moldova, from where Olga flew to Israel. Israel expects to welcome around 20,000 new immigrants this year, mainly from Russia, Ukraine, France and the United States.

“Hear the word of the Lord, you nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: ‘He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over His flock like a shepherd.’” Jeremiah 31:10

Bring  the Jews home
For $300 we can help a member of the Jewish people with collecting the necessary documents and transportation to the consulate and ultimately to the airport. 

One family (5 people) $1250
One bus (25 people) $6250
Any amount is welcome!

C4I’s Nataliya gives information about making Aliyah at a local synagogue close to the Russian border | Photo: C4I Ukraine